Roy's large ear twitched, and he looked up when there was the knock on the door. He blinked a few times, paying more attention now, with the hole in his body aching. His longing for Laura was like multiple punches to the gut, winding him. He felt his sister jerk awake against him, and lifted her head blearily from his side, while EJ snoozed on still.

Anna was up to answer the door quickly, since she didn't want Roy or Rachel to get up. She looked up at the large canine and his girlfriend, her ears angled back slightly, "We're okay as we can be..." The bat woman then opened the door more, so that they could come in.

---

Stone followed Scotty, his ears angled back, and his bright blue eyes a little wide, "Scotty... You didn't answer my question..." The hybrid closed the door behind him to their bedroom, so they could have a little privacy. His long tail curled around his ankles.

Chase stepped inside, relieved to see Anna unharmed. "Thank goodness..." He reached out and gently touched Anna's arm, then moved further into the room and released Pippa's hand so he could go over to the twins. "Hey, kiddos..." He knelt down in front of the couch, reaching out to take one of Rachel's hands and one of Roy's. He gave EJ a glance, but let the cat be and spoke softly as to not wake him. "You're not hurt anywhere?" He gave their fingers a squeeze.

----

Scotty didn't say a word until they were in the room and the door was shut. Then he let out a breath, clenching his fists and closing his eyes. After a moment, he opened his eyes again and practically threw himself at Stone, wrapping his arms tightly around him and burying his face in his shoulder. "Celeste es right... they're hurting her, and there's nothing I can do about et..." His tone was one of despair.

Rachel sat up more when Chase came over to them, and let out a little yawn while rubbing at her dark eyes. She then shifted close to Roy again, shaking her head slightly, "No... We're alright... Ezhay zhust burned 'is palms and zat's eet..."

Roy returned the squeeze, and felt some reassurance that Chase was alright... "I-I'm..." I have no fucking clue. The bat's ears pressed down on his head, and he looked down again.

---

Stone didn't really move all that much when Scotty practically tackled him, and the hybrid wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, "I know, Scotty..." They aren't going to kill Laura. At least not yet... "I know for a fact that in the coming week, we'll get her out of there. Just, you have to be strong for Celeste... And I know that it's hard. But what's a quest without challenges? Nothing."

'She won't die. We'll save her, just not this right very moment. We'll free her from the Sect. She'll be ok. I promise you that the Devas will save her.' he signed. He wrapped his big arms around Celeste in a comforting hug. He gently nuzzled her cheek to try and make her feel better. Her tears were like tiny pinches on him, but he knew that she was hurting a lot more than himself so he did his best to ignore it.

---

Pippa was very silent as she followed Chase inside. She didn't say a word, but she sat down in a chair near by. She could tell that Roy was hurt, but on the inside. Her fluffy ears were angled back a little bit.

"I know..." Chase murmured, understanding that Roy couldn't really explain how he was feeling. He leaned forward to give Rachel a kiss on her forehead, then leaned his own head against Roy's, letting go of Rachel's hand to smooth Roy's hair back from his face. "It's okay... You don't have to try to explain yourself. Just know that I'm here, and I'm going to do everything in my power to help."

----

Scotty didn't react overly well to that. He shook his head, arguing, "No! She should not have been taken, thes should not happen to her! Et just shouldn't happen! She never ded anything to deserve thes!" He clutched at Stone with a tighter grip, and it would have been uncomfortable for anyone who did not have super strength.

----

Celeste continued to cry, having little hope... She knew the horror stories about the Sect, even though she was deaf and couldn't necessarily just listen to them. They were going to torment and mutate her sister, and even if she survived until she was rescued, she might still die if they couldn't heal her in time, or if her mutation was too much.

Amigo figured if she had too little of hope then he'd be the one who would have enough hope for the both of them. He knew that Laura would be ok, that she would live. Right now he kind of figured that Celeste was trying to figure out how she would ever be able to cope without her sister for a little while. 'Did you hide here all this time?' he asked. He tried to get the thought about Laura dying out of Celeste's head. So what better way to do so with a subject change.

Roy reached up to wrap his skinny arms around Chase's back, and pulled him closer so that he could hug him. The bat fell silent again, with his face pressed against the canine's shoulder, with him grabbing fistfuls of the back of his shirt. He felt like crying all over again, and tried to contain it this time.

---

"Scotty, there are countless people that don't deserve this. Countless. I know it shouldn't have happened, but it did... We just have to work on getting her out safely now." Stone replied, trying to be the calm one now, since Scotty was trying to freak out.

Celeste shook her head; "No, I was out walking when it happened. I went to Roy's parents' house and hid there because I though Laura would be there." When she was finished signing, she wiped at her face.

---

Chase hugged Roy tightly, rubbing his back a little. "It's okay, Roy... Nobody expects you to be the strong one right now." He waited, wondering if Roy would understand that he was essentially giving him permission to cry again if that was what he needed.

----

Scotty was quiet, his head still resting on his boyfriend's shoulder. His breathing was a little shallow and shaky, as his throat kept seeming to constrict with his fear, grief, and the urge to cry. But he had to hold it together for Celeste... The sheep loosened his grip on Stone, forcing himself to calm down as he much more gently nuzzled his face against the hybrid's neck.

'At least you're ok. I'll have to thank them later for protecting you.' he signed. He gently kissed her cheek to make her feel a bit better. He rubbed her back gently too, he always had to be gentle with her.

(I might draw some Roneste later on...the only one I drew of them looks so bad xnx')

Roy wanted to cry again, but he didn't want to look weak... Even though crying wasn't really a source of weakness. He just didn't want to be a blubbering, incoherent mess on poor Chase. The bat just held onto the canine for dear life, his thin arms holding Chase in place. The steady beating of Chase's heart was comforting, though...

---

Stone felt Scotty calm down and relax slightly in his arms. The hybrid rested his hand on the sheep's head, his hand combing through Scotty's curly locks on his head. Stone then rested his head against Scotty, with a faint purr coming from his chest as he closed his eyes. "It's going to be okay, Scotty... It's going to be okay."

Celeste was calming down, albeit very, very slowly. She let out a shuddering breath, leaning on him and just staring at one of the walls, tears still occasionally rolling down her face. Her small hands still clutched at the orange shawl around her shoulders.

---

"Okay, here I come..." Chase said, and that was the only warning he gave before he proceeded to squeeze himself onto the couch. Somehow, he moved the three teenagers enough to cram himself between Roy and Rachel, with Roy practically sitting on him and Rachel and EJ on either side. He wrapped his thick arms around Roy and gave him one of his bone-crushing bear hugs-- well, it would be bone-crushing, if it had not been Roy he was hugging. The canine seemed right at home with three miserable teenagers all cuddled up to him, doing his best to comfort them.

---

Scotty stood there with his head on Stone's shoulder for several long moments, just soaking in the comfort his boyfriend offered. He was silent for a few minutes, then asked in a somewhat raspy voice, "What should we make for denner?" He had Celeste and possibly Ronnie to feed now, not just himself and Stone.

If Scotty and Stone asked him. Ronnie could easily cook them all something to eat. 'Do you feel a bit better?' he asked. Whenever she cried he'd put his hands on her face to dry her tears. It would hurt his hands a little bit afterwards, but he never showed that he was in any pain.

Rachel shifted over as much as she could for Chase, before settling down again with her side pressed against him. She purred faintly, feeling comforted and right at home with the canine there. Her brother pressed his face against Chase's shoulder, and visibly calmed down a little, with his shoulders slumping, and wings relaxing. He let out a small, miserable noise again, but didn't fully break down.

---

(BE BRAVE OR I'LL STUFF YOU INTO MY INVENTORY. >81)

"Hmmm... I don't know, to be honest..." Stone replied, his arms still around his boyfriend, "It doesn't really matter all that much..." I'm not all that hungry... The hybrid eventually let Scotty go, and ran a hand through his ginger hair, "Maybe Celeste could pick something, if she feels up to it."

Celeste didn't answer, not trusting her hands to be steady enough for him to understand what she said. So, she simply shook her head and burrowed against his side, trying to be comforted by how warm he was... but he wasn't soft and fuzzy and squishy. It just wasn't doing it for her. Wanting her sister more by the minute, she swallowed the urge to start sobbing again, rubbing at her eyes with both hands.

---

Chase totally coddled Roy, petting his ears, holding him, and treating him just like he would have when he was younger and miserable about something. Except, this time it was more serious than all those other times. The canine sighed, hoping Roy would be able to get it together, or he would have to stay behind when they eventually did go to rescue the prisoners of the Sect.

EJ was still out cold, not having reacted in the least to Chase shifting onto the couch. He was flopped over on his side, one arm dangling limply off the couch.

---

"I don't think she wants to eat at all..." Scotty replied worriedly. "I want her to keep her strength up... et could be days, Benjy..." Days. He had to make sure Celeste ate and slept, or she would be a complete wreck by the time the week passed.

Rachel reached over her brothers to grab EJ's dangling arm, and pulled it back up onto the couch, and tucked it close against his face. She then shifted again, pressing her face against Chase's arm again, with a faint purr rising from her chest.

Roy, eventually, let out a very small purring noise, too, and rested his head against Chase's shoulder. He finally managed to say something very quietly, "Zank you..."

(Oh God, I wanna see the first time Chase ever heard them purr.... X3)

---

"I know... And to be honest, I don't feel all that hungry, either..." Stone admitted, before saying, "We should maybe just make something small tonight..." He didn't think he could stomach that much.

'Would you like me to stay here until your sister is back?' he asked. His warmth was usually comforting at least that how it normally was. He was somewhat happy that he wasn't fluffy because if he was then he would be overheating like crazy by now.